Apparatus for conditioning bagged material



Nov. 14, 1950 c. D. FOX

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING BAGGED MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1948 IN V EN TOR. Clare/z ceD. Fox

BY W M ATTORNEYS Nov. 14, 1950 c. D. FOX 2,529,548

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING BAGGED MATERIAL Filed May 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 24 INVENTOR. 57 Clarence Dj'mr (92a 32 5 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING BAGGED MATERIAL Application May 29, 1948, Serial No. 30,115

8 Claims.

The invention relates to apparatus for conditioning materials contained in cloth or paper bags, when the materials havebecome hardened through storage, or the like. Many granular or powdered materials, such for instance as sugar, salt and the like, which are ordinarily bagged in cloth or paper bags, become quite hard when stored for any length of time, and the present invention contemplates apparatus for quickly and easily conditioning the hardened material without damage to the material or to the bags in which the material is contained.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus including means for subjecting a bag of material to a series of pulsating blows or pressures directed alternately against opposite sides of the bag during passage of the same through the machine.

Another object is to provide a machine of this character including four substantially upright plates, forming a rectangle of substantially the cross sectional shape and size of the bag of material, with means for moving said plates in a substantially horizontal direction to produce a series of pulsating blows or pressures against the sides of the bag as it is moved downward between the plates.

A further object is to provide a machine of the character referred to in which one of said plates is pivoted at its lower end and the opposing plate is pivoted at its upper end with an eccentric or cam means for swinging said plates upon their pivots.

A still further object is to provide a machine of this character in which the other pair of plates is arranged to be moved toward and from the bag by eccentrics operatively connected to the upper and lower end portions of each of the plates.

The above objects together with others which Fig. 5 a fragmentary, sectional View taken on the line 55, Fig. 2, showing the side plates'and the eccentric means for operating the same;

Fig. 6 a fragmentary, detail View of two of the bevel pinions with a yoke which may be provided for slidably adjusting the pinions upon the shafts;

sired height above a floor or other support.

A drive shaft [2 is journalled in bearings l3, mounted upon one end portion of the frame l0, and a pulley i t is fixed upon one end of this shaft for operative connection, by a belt or the like, to

any suitable prime mover.

A gear 45 is fixed upon the other end of the shaft I2 and meshes with a similar gear l6 fixed upon the shaft H, which is journalled in bearings [8 carried by the standard 19 which is rigidly mounted upon the frame Hl.

A bevel pinion 2B is fixed upon the shaft I 2, adjacent to the pulley l4, and meshes with a bevel pinion 2| fixed upon a shaft 22 journalled in bearings 23 upon the standard 24, which is mounted upon the adjacent side of the frame. A bevel pinion 25 is fixed upon the other end of the shaft 22 and meshes with the bevel pinion 26, which is fixed upon one end of the shaft 21, which shaft is journalled in bearings-28 mounted upon the tail stock indicated generally at 29.

This tail stock is longitudinally adjustable upon the frame 18 by means of the screw 30 and hand wheel 3 I, which is provided with a nut 32 mounted upon the screw 30 and swivelled in the adjacent end portion of the frame. The screw 30 is connected to the tail stock whereby rotation of the hand wheel will move the tail stock longitudinally upon the frame Ill and hold it in any desired adjusted position thereon.

The tail stock, indicated generally at 29, comprises the lower portion 33 and the upper portion 34, connected to the lower portion 33 as by the pin 35 about which the upper portion 35 and the tail stock oscillate relative to the lower portion 33,.

Coil springs 36 are mounted in the tail stock contacting the lower, relatively fixed part 33 thereof, the upper ends of the springs being in contact with the spring bar 31, which is provided with a screw 38 located through the nut 39, which is swivelled in the upper part 34 of the tail stock and provided with a hand wheel 46, by means of which the pressure of the springs may be adjusted thereby causing a variable resistance to the upper portion 34 of the tail stock, oscillating about the A bevel pinion M is fixed upon the shaft l2, at the opposite side of the machine from the pinion 2t, and meshes with ab'evel pinion itgiixefl upon the shaft 43, which is journalled in bearings 44, carried by the standard 45, mounted upon the opposite side of the machine from the standard 24.

A bevel pinion 46 is fixed upon the shaft I1, and meshes with a bevel pinion 41, fixed upon the shaft 48, which is directly above and parallel to the shaft 43. The shaft 48 is journalled in bearings 49 mounted upon the standard 45.

A bevel pinion 50 is fixed upon the shaft ll, at the opposite side of the machine from the pinion 46, and meshes with a bevel pinion 5|, fixed upon a shaft 52, which is located above and parallel to the shaft 22, and is journalled in bearings 53 carried by the standard 24.

The processing mechanism comprises the breaker plate indicated generally at 54, the back plate indicated generally at 55, and opposed to the breaker plate, and the two side plates, indicated generally at 56 and 5'! and opposed to each other, the four plates being located in upright position and forming a rectangle substantially the size and shape of the cross section of the bags to be conditioned.

The breaker plate 54 is provided with lugs 58 near its lower end, for pivotal connection to the lugs 59, upon the standard l9, by means of a pin 60. The upper end of the breaker plate has a considerable outward flare, indicated at El, and has the lugs 62 fixed upon its outer side and pivotally connected, as by the pin 63, with the straps 64, within the outer ends of which are rotatably mounted eccentrics 65, fixed upon the shaft IT.

The back plate 55 is outwardly flared at its upper end, as indicated at 66, but this flare starts at a point higher than on the breaker plate to provide straight backing for the zone where the crushing occurs.

The upper end of the back plate has lugs 61 fixed on its outer side for pivotal connection by means of a pin 68 with the adjustable screw 69, slidably located through the horizontal tubular bearing on the upper portion 34 of the tail stock.

A nut H is mounted upon the screw 69 and provided with a hand wheel 12 for adjusting the screw horizontally to adjust the pivot point 68 of the back plate. A jam nut or lock nut 73 may also be mounted upon the screw 69 and provided with a hand wheel 14 for locking the screw in adjusted position.

Lugs 15 are fixed upon the outer side of the lower portion of the back plate and a pin 16 pivotally connects the strap 1'! to said lugs. An eccentric 18 is fixed upon the shaft 21 and located within the strap 71.

Each of the side plates 56 and 5'! is slightly flared outward at its upper end, as indicated at 19, these flared upper ends of all of the plates being provided to facilitate entry of the bagged material into the space between the plates from the chute 86 as well as to prevent damage to the fabric of the bags being processed.

The side plate 56 has straps 8! and 82 rigidly connected to its outer side, near its upper and lower ends, said straps receiving the eccentrics 83 and 84, upon the upper and lower shafts .8 and 43 respectively, whereby the side plate 56 will be moved in a circular path downward and inward, and outward and upward, the plate remaining in vertical position throughout the movement.

The other side plate 51 is provided with similar straps 8| a and 82a. which receive the eccen- 4 tries 83a and 84a respectively, mounted on the shafts 52 and 22. With this construction the side plate 51 will be moved in a circular path downward and inward, and outward and upward, the plate remaining in vertical position throughout the movement.

The gears and eccentrics are so arranged and operated that the upper end of the breaker plate 54, and the lower end of the back plate 55, move inward and outward in unison, the inward movement of these plates coinciding with the outward and upward movement of the side plates, and vice versa. As is best shown in Fig. 2, the inner sides of the plates 54, 55, 56 and 5'! are shaped to conform to the cross sectional shape of the bagged material.

As above pointed out, the tail stock may be adjusted longitudinally, by means of the adjusting screw 30, and the pivotal point 68 for the upper end of the back plate may be further adjusted by the hand wheel 12 and screw 69. Thus the distance between the breaker plate and the back plate may be varied to accommodate bags of various sizes.

The side plates 56 and 51 may be adjusted toward and from each other by means of the slots 85 and bolts 86 in the side standards 24 and 45. In making such adjustments it may be necessary that certain of the pinion gears slide along their respective shafts, and for this purpose yokes 94 may be provided for slidably tying the various shafts together as shown in Fig. 6.

The width of the breaker plate and back plate may be adjusted by forming the inner side of each of these plates of a pair of adjustable side members 81 movable toward and from the central member 88, as shown in Fig. '7.

In the same manner each of the side plates, as shown in Fig. 8, may be provided with a pair of adjustable side members 89, movable relative to the central member 90. Each of the side plates may have a balance weight 9| mounted. upon its outer side. A chute 92 is located below the plates and provided with grid bars 93.

In the operation of the machine the bagged material is introduced down a chute 80, into the opening between the plates, which are operated by the eccentrics in the manner above described, the breaker plate and back plate being given small rapid oscillating motions while the side plates are given small rapid rotary movements.

As the inward motion of the upper end of the breaker plate 54 coincides both with the inward motion of the lower end of the back plate and the outward and upward motion of the side plates 56 and 51, and vice versa, it will be obvious that a bag of material passing downward between the plates will be subjected to a series of rapid blows or pressures, alternately by the breaker plate and back plate, and by the side plates, and the inward and downward movement of the side plates will move the bag of material downward during each outward movement of the breaker plate and back plate.

The hardened material in the bag will be quickly broken up and conditioned, and the bags of processed material will then be ejected down the chute 92, any loose material which may drop from damaged bags being segregated through the grid bars 93.

' I claim:

1. A machine for conditioning bagged material, including two, spaced, opposed pairs of substantially upright plates forming a substantially rectangular opening therebetween substantially conforming to the cross-sectional shape of the bagged material, means for intermittently alternately moving one opposed pair of plates inward and outward and for simultaneously moving the other opposed pair of plates intermittently outward and inward, and means for passing bagged material downward between said plates.

2. A machine for conditioning bagged material, including two, spaced, opposed pairs of substantially upright plates forming a substantially rectangular opening therebetween substantially conforming to the cross-sectional shape of the bagged material, means for intermittently alternately moving one opposed pair of plates inward and outward and for simultaneously moving the other opposed pair of plates intermittently outward. and inward, the inward movement of one pair of the plates coinciding with the outward movement of the other pair of plates and vice versa, and means for passing bagged material downward between said plates.

3. A machine for conditioning bagged material, including two, spaced, opposed pairs of substantially upright plates forming a substantially rectangular opening therebetween substantially conforming to the cross sectional shape of the bagged material, means for intermittently alternately moving one opposed pair of plates inward and outward and for simultaneously moving the other opposed pair of plates intermittently outward and inward, the inward movement of one pair of the plates coinciding with the outward movement of the other pair of plates and vice versa, one pair of said plates being moved downward as it moves inward and being moved upward as it moves outward, and means for passing bagged material downward between said plates.

4. A machine for conditioning bagged material, including two, spaced, opposed pairs of substantially upright plates forming a substantially rectangular opening therebetween substantially conforming to the cross-sectional shape of the bagged material, means for intermittently alternately moving one opposed pair of plates inward and outward, the inward movement of one pair of the plates coinciding with the outward movement of the other pair of plates and vice versa, one pair of said plates being moved downward as it moves inward and being moved upward as it moves outward, and means for passing bagged material downward between said plates.

5. A machine for conditioning bagged material, including two, spaced, opposed pairs of substantially upright plates forming a substantially rectangular opening therebetween substantially conforming to the cross-sectional shape of the bagged material, one pair of said plates comprising a breaker plate pivoted at its lower portion and a back plate pivoted at its upper portion, the other pair of plates comprising vertical side plates, means for simultaneously intermittently moving the upper end of the breaker plate and the lower end of the back plate inward and outward upon their pivots, means for simultaneously rial, including two, spaced, opposed pairs of substantially upright plates forming a substantially rectangular opening therebetween substantially conforming to the cross-sectional shape of the bagged material, one pair of said plates comprising a breaker plate pivoted at its lower portion and a back plate pivoted at its upper portion, the other pair of plates comprising vertical side plates, means for simultaneously moving the upper end of the breaker plate and the lower end of the back plate inward and outward upon their pivots, means for simultaneously moving the side plates outward and upward and inward and downward, and means for passing bagged material downward the side plates remaining vertical throughout their movement, the inward movement of the breaker plate and back plate coinciding with the outward movement of the side plates and vice versa between the plates.

7. A machine for conditioning bagged material, including two, spaced, opposed pairs of substantially upright plates forming a substantially rectangular opening therebetween substantially conforming to the cross-sectional shape of the bagged material, one pair of said plates comprising a breaker plate pivoted at its lower portion and a back plate pivoted at its upper portion, the other pair of plates comprising vertical side plates, eccentric means for simultaneously moving the upper end of the breaker plate and the lower end of the back plate inward and outward upon their pivots, eccentric means for simultaneously moving the side plates outward and inward the side plates remaining vertical throughout their movement, the inward movement of the breaker plate and back plate coinciding with the outward movement of the side plates and vice versa, and means for passing bagged material downward between the plates.

8. A machine for conditioning bagged material, including two, spaced, opposed pairs of substantially upright plates forming a substantially rectangular opening therebetween substantially conforming to the cross-sectional shape of the bagged material, one pair of said plates comprising a breaker plate pivoted at its lower portion and a back plate pivoted at its upper portion, the other pair of plates comprising vertical side plates, eccentric means for simultaneously moving the upper end of the breaker plate and the lower end of the back plate inward and outward upon their pivots, eccentric means for simultaneously moving the side plates outward and upward and inward and downward the side plates remaining vertical throughout their movement, the inward movement of the breaker plate and back plate coinciding with the outward movement of the side plates and vice versa, and means for passing bagged material downward between the plates.

CLARENCE D. FOX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,007,935 Fox Nov. 7, 1911 1,261,043 Luce Apr. 2, 1918 1,620,659 Hodgkinson Mar. 15, 1927 1,936,742 Youtsey Nov. 28, 1933 1,971,485 Hosmer Aug. 28, 1934 2,437,881 Lobley Mar. 16, 1948 

